


101 Poodles

by plisetskytrash, victurius



Series: The 12 Days of Christmas [5]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anxious Katsuki Yuuri, Christmas Fluff, Dogs, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Ice Skating, M/M, Makkachin Lives, New York City, Puppies in love, Slow Romance, Snow, Vicchan Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-19 19:34:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17007867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plisetskytrash/pseuds/plisetskytrash, https://archiveofourown.org/users/victurius/pseuds/victurius
Summary: Who would have ever guessed that Katsuki Yuuri might just meet the love of his life because of his rambunctious and devilish canine companion? Regardless, Yuuri isn't complaining.





	101 Poodles

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to this special holiday collaboration between plisetskytrash and victurius! <3 Stay tuned for daily Christmas themed fics. <3

On a cold winter's day, Yuuri enjoyed nothing more than curling up on his small but cosy couch with a blanket draped over his thighs, a mug of cocoa in his hands, and some trashy TV on. Sadly for Yuuri, there was only one problem with that.

Vicchan.

The excitable and frantic poodle was already bouncing around his poky New York City apartment waiting for Yuuri to do something about his excess energy. Which meant going outside. In the snow. At minus 2 degrees. Yuuri wanted to cry. He’d never been a fan of the cold weather and always had to bundle himself up tight in many, many layers when he went outside. Also, New York was notorious for its icy sludge during the winter seasons. Snow and ice that was more grey than white tended to build up on the edge of the sidewalk and the gutter, meaning Yuuri was more than likely going to trip and fall straight into the dirt, snow, ice sundae and make a cute little Japanese cherry on top. Most likely ass up. The thought made him shudder a little.

Still, he couldn’t bear the thought of keeping Vicchan locked up in their tiny apartment all day, so Yuuri did what he always did when it came to his sweet little poodle: He gave in.

Within a few minutes, Yuuri had his poodle’s leash in his hand, a hand-knitted scarf wrapped around his neck (an early Christmas gift from his mother), and a snug hat pulled tight over his hair. He adjusted his glasses on his face and zipped up his thick padded coat before descending the stairs to brace the cruel outdoors.

It was only a fifteen minute walk to Central Park and so far everything had gone off without a hitch. The streets were busier these days as everyone was preparing for the holiday season and it made Yuuri’s anxiety spike a little, but he held on tight for Vicchan’s sake. Once they entered the gates of the park, Yuuri took in the breathtaking landscaping with a smile. As terrifying as the snow could be, it was also undeniably beautiful.

Vicchan pulled and pulled to be let off his lead and since the park was relatively empty compared to the stores, Yuuri clicked the harness off and Vicchan was off like a bullet from a gun. He skidded and jumped in the thick layer of snow before tossing it between his paws and finally rolling around in it.

“Vicchan, be careful!” Yuuri called despite knowing it was futile. His dog did as he damn well pleased no matter what Yuuri said.

Speaking of which, the next thing the spontaneous poodle did was jump up and take off into the direction of the iced-over pond in the middle of the park. Yuuri’s eyes widened in fear and he began to run away him.

“Vicchan! Stop!” he cried, his voice a little hysterical as he imagined his precious poodle falling through a crack in the ice. “Stop!” he called once more, but it was no use. Vicchan was at the edge already. He was going to… going to…

Then Yuuri’s world spun and his face hit something extremely cold. His foot had caught on a branch buried in the snow and he’d spilled forward, plummeting into the icy ground. His face was heavy with snow as he lifted it up, the white stuff sticking to his eyelashes. When he finally rubbed it away, Yuuri could see someone else on the icy pond. Vicchan was obediently sitting on the ice, next to a smaller poodle who was identical in colour. The person out on the pond seemed to be wearing ice skates and Yuuri’s brow furrowed. Who in their right mind would be out here skating in this weather? On such notoriously thin ice?

Yuuri pushed himself up quickly and stormed over towards his very naughty poodle who was busy sniffing another poodle enthusiastically. He stepped onto the ice with a gulp and made his way over. “You!” he reprimanded in the sternest voice he could muster. “You know you aren’t supposed to run away from me!” Yuuri gripped the pooch’s collar tight and slipped the leash on with a mutter.

“And you!” Yuuri yelled at the figure in the middle of the ice who seemed to be staring at him. “You’re gonna get yourself killed out here I hope you know!” Now that he was closer, Yuuri could see the silver-white on top of his head was a mixture of snow and hair. He’d never seen someone with actual silver hair before and it left him a little stumped. He stared for a bit longer than necessary at the stranger.

“Me?” the man asked confused, looking around to see if the small Japanese man was indeed yelling at him.

“Yes, you!” Yuuri replied with a flustered exhale. “Do you not know how thin this ice is? What’s gonna happen to your dog if you die?” He pointed down at the second poodle near his feet.

“I would never do that to my dog!” The stranger scoffed. “I’ve been skating on this pond since a child, trust me, it won’t break!” But his eyes went wide as he heard a crack beneath his feet. He looked down in a panic as the increased weight of two adults and two poodles was apparently too much for this particular patch of ice. Yuuri’s eyes widened as the man he skated forwards, grabbing Yuuri as he pushed the two of them safely back to the edge. The two of them fell backwards and onto the ground, the stranger crushing him as their faces almost were touching. Yuuri squeaked.

His entire face flushed and for a moment, he stared dumbfounded at the apparently Russian man on top of him. Then he realised what was happening and he pushed at the stranger’s chest. “What are you doing?!” he cried, finally managing to wriggle out from underneath him and stand up. “You’ll get us both injured at this rate! Are you crazy?”

The ice skater jumped up in response and flushing, he held his hand out. He helped pull Yuuri to his feet. “I’m sorry,” he said, clearly embarrassed at pushing the man over. “Are you okay?” He brushed Yuuri’s coat, seemingly before he could stop himself.

“I’m fine!” Yuuri told him as he flapped a little and pushed the other man’s hands away. “I just came to get my…” Yuuri looked down at his hand and noticed the leash for Vicchan was gone as was the poodle himself. The other dog was nowhere to be seen either.

“He’s gone! Vicchan’s gone!”

“Vicchan?” the other man asked and then it seemed to become clear as he noticed the absence of their furry companions. “Makkachin!” he shouted and then stumbled to get his ice skates off. He pulled his bag off and it dropped to the floor. He struggled to quickly get his shoes on. “God, I’m so sorry! I-I’ll help you find him!” he said, finally straightening up. He grabbed Yuuri’s hand and proceeded to drag him.

“I think you’ve done enough for one day!” Yuuri huffed before turning frantically and looking around from one end of the park to the other. He couldn’t see a sign of Vicchan anywhere. His heart thudded against his chest.

“I said I was sorry!” he retorted, looking offended.

“Vicchan!” Yuuri called as he stumbled forwards and looked around everywhere for his dog. “Come here, right now!” He began to run, looking around for paw prints in the snow and finally found some leading to a wooded area on his left.

“Hey! Get back here, we need to find them together! I don’t even know your name, how will I tell you if I find them?!” he shouted, following him.

Yuuri tried to ignore the stranger, but he had to admit that he had a point. Right now, Vicchan was the priority. Yuuri had to do whatever it took to keep him safe and get him home. “Yuuri,” he shouted back over his shoulder as he continued to follow the trail of paw prints.

“My name is Victor,” he called, catching up with him. “They can’t have gone too far!” he said, sounding hopeful. “I’m sure they’ve just disappeared into a bush or something… Oh, no!” he grabbed Yuuri’s jacket, forcing him to stop. “Please tell me that Vichhan is a girl!? Makkachin isn’t spayed!”

A look of horror passed over Yuuri’s face as he came to a standstill next to the man apparently known as Victor. “Vicchan is a boy. A boy with a fully functional…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish. “Oh, God.” He rushed forward into the brush, still following the trail of paw prints and felt Victor’s heavy footsteps behind him, crunching in the snow.

When they got underneath the tall trees, Yuuri spotted the two almost identical poodles straight away and they were in a very compromising position. Yuuri shrieked as soon as he saw them.

“Vicchan! You stop that right now!” he snapped as he crossed over towards his dog and grabbed him harshly by the collar, pulling him backwards and forcing him off the other poodle. “That is very bad! Bad dog!” Yuuri continued to scold Vicchan until the puppy’s tail dropped between his legs and then he sighed. “I’m sorry, this is as much my fault as it is yours, Vicchan.”

“Bad girl, Makkachin!” Victor scolded, ripping her away and grabbing her by the collar. He grabbed her lead out of his bag and then clicked it onto her harness. He looked apologetically at Yuuri before he finally broke and started laughing.

“This isn’t funny!” Yuuri insisted, his eyes wide with fear as he looked down at both poodles. “What if they had gone further or gotten themselves run over? Anything could have happened!”

Victor carried on laughing. “It is kinda funny. And there are no cars…we’re in Central Park. How would they get run over?” He smiled.

Yuuri knelt down to look his dog over and pulled him into a firm, tight embrace. Finally, he stood back up and eyed Makkachin. “Do you think she might be pregnant now?”

“I have no idea.” He shrugged and then fussed Makkachin on the head, glad that she was okay. “I guess we’ll find out in a few months, huh?”

“How can you be so casual about this?” Yuuri asked, feeling more anxious by the minute. “I mean, I’ve never bred puppies before. Are you gonna need me to pay for anything? I barely made enough from my last article to keep a roof over my head, so I don’t think I can deal with this right now.”

Victor looked at him strangely. “Well, no… But I guess I should get your number in case you’re going to be a granddaddy soon. Or you know, because you’re kind of cute if you like angry Japanese men, and apparently I do.”

Yuuri’s jaw dropped. “You… You what?” he asked in a quiet voice as he stared unwaveringly at the stranger. It was then that he realised that the man was unfairly attractive. “I-I mean, give me your phone.” Yuuri held out his hand. “I’ll try and help in any way I can if the worst happens.”

“Or what about if I want to contact you for something like… dinner?” Victor asked.

Yuuri blushed furiously. “Dinner is… Dinner sounds…” He stumbled over his words as he typed in his number with shaky fingers into Victor’s phone. “That would be okay.”

“Really?” the man seemed to perk up at Yuuri’s word and then he smiled as he received his phone back. He looked down at the number and then called it, and sure enough, Yuuri’s phone in his pocket chirped to life. “I would love that. Here’s to a first date.”

***

Yuuri surprised himself by messaging Victor first. Apparently, his anxiety regarding Makkachin’s possible pregnancy and Vicchan’s possible fatherhood was too much. He had spent the evening Googling all about poodle pregnancies and somehow convinced himself that she must somehow be pregnant and that he should get in touch with Victor as soon as possible. That was how he found himself messaging the Russian man the very next day.

**_Hey, it’s Yuuri from the park. How’s Makkachin?_ **

Surprisingly, his phone started ringing immediately and he rushed to answer it. “Oh God, she's pregnant isn’t she?” Yuuri blurted out in greeting.

There was laughter down the line. “Yuuri, it’s not even been 24 hours,” Victor replied amused.

Yuuri’s brows furrowed. Well, that was true. “But… I was reading online and you should check her nipples as they might change colour if she’s pregnant. You should also make sure that there are no changes in her appetite and — ”

“You want me to check my dog's nipples?”

Yuuri’s face flushed. “Well, no… when you say it like that, you make it sound weird.” He pouted, suddenly feeling self-conscious about his anxiety. Why had he thought it was okay to text Victor, a stranger, and bother him over this? Of course Makkachin wouldn’t be showing any signs yet. Yuuri let out a sigh and rubbed a hand over his face. He really should have thought this through a little more before he’d contacted him.

“It’s not weird,” Victor disagreed. “Sometimes we have to do all sorts of gross things for our dogs, right?”

Yuuri found himself nodding in agreement even though Victor couldn’t see him.

“But, how about we meet tomorrow and you can see for yourself that she’s fine if you are really worried?” Victor continued. “I’m free all day.”

Yuuri’s heart was suddenly hammering for different reasons. “Like a playdate for the puppies?” he asked shyly. Victor was right, he would probably feel better if he could see Makkachin and see her well. He knew it wasn’t really his fault that they’d gotten into this situation. After all, Victor hadn’t kept Makkachin on a leash either. Yet somehow, Yuuri also took most of the responsibility onto his own shoulders. It was a tough burden to bear.

“Well,” came Victor’s Russian drawl, sounding like he was about to say something devious, “I was thinking more of a people date but with doggies?”

“I…” Yuuri blushed and looked down at Vicchan who was at his feet. Vicchan had started this all off with his mischief, but Yuuri couldn’t even be annoyed at him. Especially since the enthusiastic way Victor spoke to Yuuri was making him feel warmer than he had in years —and it had nothing to do with the mug of cocoa in his hands. “Okay. Shall we meet at the pond again?” he asked, already feeling excited about seeing Victor again.

Hopefully this time he wouldn’t mess it up by shouting at him again.

***

This time when Yuuri visited the park, he came armed with two hot chocolates and a smile even though it was freezing cold. He felt excited to see Victor and he wasn't completely sure why, but the idea of seeing him again gave him butterflies. Thankfully, Victor was not on the ice this time and he took the time to admire how attractive the other man was as he spotted him waiting and talking to Makkachin.

The combination was a big mistake because as soon Vicchan spotted Makkachin he was tugging his lead and dragging an unwilling Yuuri dramatically along for the ride. Unfortunately for poor Victor, Makkachin had the exact same reaction. It was like the two poodles couldn’t bear spending another moment apart. At any other time it might have been cute, but Yuuri was clumsy enough as it was without two cups of hot chocolate and an icy floor added into the mix.

The result was spectacular. The men collided and hot chocolate sprayed over the two of them in a massive arch, soaking them and spraying the snow a dark brown around them. Yuuri immediately pulled back, his eyes wide as he realised what had just happened. He looked down at the cocoa sizzling on Victor’s light brown coat, etching a perfect curve of a stain there. Then he looked down at his mischievous dog who was happily nosing and nuzzling at his new companion.

The two men yelled out in shock with mutual shouts of, “Vicchan!” and “Makka!” but neither dog cared, instead they licked at each other's faces, tails wagging as they tangled their leads together. A smile began to form on Yuuri’s face at the sight. He wanted to be mad, he really did, but he also loved seeing his puppy happy.

His attention was drawn back to the Russian man when he heard Victor let out a huff. He was dabbing at the stain on his, no doubt, expensive coat as a few silver locks of hair drifting down his face, covering his eyes. Not being able to see his eyes or his expression clearly made Yuuri’s heart ache a little. He hoped he hadn’t ruined his first date in almost two years before it had even started, especially since it was with such a hottie.

“I should have known he’d do that,” Yuuri groaned. “Victor, I’m so sorry!” he exclaimed, feeling completely humiliated. He rushed forward in an attempt to help the other man with the clean up. “I will definitely pay for a new one! Or for your dry-cleaning!”

But Victor just smiled at Yuuri before bursting into laughter. “No need. Now, come on, I live close by,” he said and then linked his arm in Yuuri’s to lead the way.

***

As promised, Victor lived a lot closer than Yuuri. The young Japanese man was shocked when he walked into an apartment overlooking Central Park. It was very minimally decorated, looking sophisticated and modern in a way that Yuuri would never manage. All of his own furniture was handed down or from a flea market and barely matched. Suddenly, Yuuri felt very out of his depth and he glanced to the ground to double check he hadn’t trod any snow or dirt inside the pristine apartment. Still, Victor welcomed Yuuri inside with a smile and shrugged off Yuuri’s repeated apologies, promising that Yuuri didn’t have to pay for dry cleaning his expensive-looking coat.

“It’s fine, dogs are messy!” he assured him. “Do you at least feel better now you’ve seen her?”

“I do actually,” Yuuri agreed. Looking at her, Makkachin seemed just fine, she was bouncy, happy, and looking healthy. He had clearly been worried for nothing. Even if she did become pregnant, he was sure everything would be okay. After all, it happened all the time, right?

“I’m glad! Now, how about I make us some more hot chocolate and I’ll get you some clean clothes,” Victor suggested with a twinkle in his eye as he raked his gaze down Yuuri’s body. The gaze made Yuuri’s skin prickle and his cheeks heat a little more.

Normally, Yuuri would never take clothes from someone else, but his jeans were soaked in hot chocolate and it was freezing outside. He didn’t fancy walking home in soaking wet clothes and… Victor’s smile was so handsome, he seemed so genuine and lovely and somehow Yuuri trusted him. So, Yuuri nodded and Victor disappeared.

Yuuri looked around, feeling a little out of place in the spacious apartment. He kept an eye on the dogs, the two of them had found a toy and were chewing it together. Thankfully they were keeping things PG and they didn’t seem interested in the mischief they had gotten up to yesterday, thankfully.

Once Yuuri was changed, he found himself sat on Victor’s plush couch with a cup of cocoa in one hand while his other hand twitched nervously. He smiled unsurely at the man who was being so nice to him as their poodles snoozed together at their feet. He didn’t truly understand Victor’s motives here. He’d said he was interested in Yuuri, but the Japanese man couldn’t see why. They barely knew each other… Still, Yuuri was enjoying Victor’s pursuit of him and tried to push all thoughts of an end point or a goal out of his mind before his anxiety ran rampant.

“I… Thanks for seeing me today. I get kind of anxious about things. I was hoping today I wouldn’t make a fool of myself again…” His face flushed.

Victor looked at him kindly. “It’s fine. You can come and see her any time. I think our doggies might be falling in love.”

Yuuri looked down at the two of them and nodded, but from the way Victor was looking at him, and the way his palms started to sweat, he didn’t think they were the only ones.

***

It became a routine, every weekend the two of them met at the pond and walked the dogs. They talked about anything and everything. He looked forward to those meetings despite the freezing cold temperatures and the increase in snow. The only person who had ever managed to drag Yuuri out in this type of weather definitely deserved a medal of some kind.

One week when Yuuri arrived, Victor was holding two pairs of shoes in his hand and wearing his usual bright and cheery smile. As Yuuri got closer, he realised those weren’t shoes, they were  _ skates. _ Immediately, his eyes flew open wide and he stopped in his tracks a few feet away from the Russian.

“You’re not suggesting…?”

“I know you have a nervous disposition, Yuuri,” Victor began with a low, calming voice as he was the one to close the gap between them. “But I will be there with you every step of the way. I can even show you a few tricks if you turn out to be a good pupil.” The gorgeous Russian winked in Yuuri’s direction and the battle was instantly lost.

Yuuri gulped.

Then, they were both on the ice together. Yuuri’s knees trembled a little, but Victor’s hands kept a tight hold on his hips to keep him upright. Yuuri found his heart pounding less in anxiety and more and more in his attraction towards Victor. The way Victor’s gloved hands felt of Yuuri’s clothed hips made him yearn for more. He wanted to be wrapped in Victor’s warm embrace, to curl up with him by an open fire and watch bad Christmas movies, but that wasn’t something you said to someone you’d only known a few weeks.

So, Yuuri stumbled a little across the ice with Victor in tow and found himself enjoying the glide of his skates, the wind in his hair, and the freedom he felt right here. It made him feel like he was flying. Even when he did trip or wobble a little, Victor was right there to guide him. The Russian whispered encouragements to him at every time that made Yuuri’s face flush, but he never wanted him to stop.

Once they were finished, Yuuri handed the skates back to Victor with a small smile. “You see, it’s not so terrible is it?” Victor asked with a knowing smile and two arched eyebrows. “Tell me now if you hated it, I don’t think I can continue dating someone who doesn’t love ice skating as much as I do.”

“I didn’t hate it, I…” Yuuri paused and a wide, toothy grin graced his face. “You just said we were dating.”

“Well, of course I did, Yuuri,” Victor replied simply. “What else did you think we were doing?”

The simple admission caused Yuuri’s heart to flutter and he couldn’t wipe the smile from his face. “Dating, of course,” he replied with mock confidence and let out a small chuckle.

“Of course,” Victor agreed with a collaborative wink. “Now, you look like you need warming up. Let’s go back to my place.”

After their meetings, Yuuri and Victor always went back to Victor’s for delicious, artisan hot chocolate. Yuuri had never experienced such rich cocoa before. Sometimes Victor would add spices like cinnamon or syrups like hazelnut and it only peeked Yuuri’s interest in him. Any man who could make him such delicious drinks was someone he was determined to hold onto.

***

A few more weeks passed and the two of them looked forward to seeing each other every time, as did Vicchan and Makkachin. Until one day, Victor messaged Yuuri to come straight to his apartment since he wasn’t up for the walking.

When Yuuri arrived, he instantly knew that something was wrong by the way Victor answered the door. The Russian was staring at Yuuri intently, his eyes wide and his face decidedly blank. He was crowding the doorway, not let Yuuri instantly inside which was definitely a bad sign.

“Now, Yuuri,” he said, looking like he was talking to a spooked animal. “I don’t want you to panic,” he continued before he opened the door slowly to let him inside.

Naturally, Yuuri panicked straight away. “Oh, God,” he exclaimed. “Don’t tell me…”

Vicchan ran from Yuuri’s side and was with Makkachin within seconds. Makkachin who was laying on a plush blanket on her side, her stomach looking swollen.

“Congratulations! We’re gonna be granddaddies to puppies!” Victor exclaimed, sounding excited but looking anxious for Yuuri’s reaction.

Yuuri looked at how happy the poodles looked and then back towards Victor, who was smiling at him so sweetly and hopefully. He breathed deeply. “It’s going to be fine, right?” he asked.

Victor nodded and Yuuri believed him.

***

It was Christmas Eve when Yuuri’s phone blared to life late at night. He answered it confused, he had already been asleep curled around Vicchan.

“Hello?” he asked, thinking that it was probably Victor drunk dialling him and singing down the phone to him again. “Victor, go to bed,” he mumbled, “it’s…” He glared at his phone in the dark, squinting as he struggled to see without his glasses on. “It’s almost midnight.”

“Yuuri!” came Victor’s excited voice. “It's happening! The puppies are coming!”

Yuuri leapt out of bed. “Vicchan! Vicchan, get up!” he yelled, poking his dog awake. “It’s Makkachin! The puppies are coming!” He ran around excited, grabbing his glasses and wallet before pulling his coat on over his pyjamas. He pulled on his boots and grabbed Vicchan’s lead.

“Are you on your way?” Victor asked. “I’ll leave the door open!” he said, before he hung up.

Yuuri called an uber and was at Victor’s house quickly, he pushed through the door with his poodle bouncing around at his feet. He stopped in his tracks at the sight that met him. Victor was sat on the floor, petting Makkachin as she nursed six tiny puppies who were all the spitting image of their parents. He looked up at Yuuri, his eyes full of happy tears. Vicchan was at Makkachin’s side, sniffing and kissing the puppies before turning his attention to the mother.

“Yuuri, come look what my Makkachin did, she did such a good job,” he praised, looking deliriously pleased.

Yuuri stepped inside and kicked the door closed. He sat down next to Victor as his heart swelled with pride. “Good job, Makka, you did amazing,” he agreed, finding himself get watery-eyed too. Yuuri reached out unsurely, linking his fingers with Victor’s who looked surprised but pleased down at their hands.

“Yuuri, I… This is the best birthday ever,” he sobbed, half laughing and half crying.

“It is. Happy Birthday, Victor.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments & kudos always appreciated <3


End file.
